By Marissa Postell
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If technology was supposed to make our lives easier and more convenient, why do our lives feel so complicated and confusing? And if Christians believe the Bible has wisdom for all circumstances, how does it speak to issues of life in a digital age?
In his new book, “Following Jesus in a Digital Age” releasing Aug. 30, 2022, Jason Thacker challenges Christians to consider how technology is shaping their walks with Christ and how to apply biblical wisdom to navigate the most difficult aspects of digital culture—including the rise of misinformation, conspiracy theories, social media, digital privacy and polarization.
Thacker grew up surrounded by gadgetry and innovation. But he never considered how his interest in and use of technology was shaping him. When he got married and had kids, Thacker became increasingly aware of how his use of technology—and social media in particular—affected how he interacted with his family. And he began to realize technology was shaping every aspect of his life.
As Thacker read books on technology and studied the Bible’s wisdom literature, he came to understand there is a better way of following Jesus in our digital age. It begins, he said, with cultivating a more biblical understanding of these technological tools and how they’re shaping us.
Rather than leaving readers with a message of despair that technology is using us more than we are using technology, Thacker aids believers in applying biblical wisdom in a digital age for the glory of God.
“‘Following Jesus in a Digital Age’ reminds all of us that not only is God not surprised or taken back by these innovations, but that His Word is sufficient for navigating the challenges before us,” Thacker said. “Amid the confusion and seeming chaos of our day, we can engage these pressing issues of technology from a place of hope rooted in the fact God is in control of all things and that His plans for our lives are good.”
God calls His people to remain grounded in His Word as they step into the challenges of the digital age, holding on to hope and discernment.
“I pray readers see how God’s Word applies to every aspect of our lives—even the difficult questions we’re facing in our digital age,” Thacker said. “Wisdom is a central component to Christian discipleship and is the foundation for how we navigate all of life.”
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About Jason Thacker
Jason Thacker serves as chair of research in technology ethics and director of the research institute at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He also serves as an adjunct instructor of philosophy, ethics and worldview at Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of “Following Jesus in a Digital Age” and “The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity.” He also serves as the editor of “The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society” with B&H Academic. His work has been featured at Slate, Politico, The Week, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition and Desiring God.
He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. He also holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethics and Public Theology. He serves as an associate fellow with the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge, an advisor for AI and Faith and a research fellow with the ERLC Research Institute. He is married to Dorie, and they have two sons. They live outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
About B&H Publishing Group
B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources, is a team that believes Every Word Matters. We seek to provide intentional, biblical content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, cultivating lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ. We publish (print and digital) in the trade, church and academic markets, as well as the CSB translation.
About Lifeway Christian Resources
In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School, and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit.
